Bag closure and carrier



FIGJO M. D. LONDON BAG CLOSURE AND CARRIER Filed March le, 1960 FIGA Flcs

Jan. 16, 1962 United States PatentA titice 3,017,70 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 3,017,070 BAG CLSURE AND CARRIER Melvin il). London, Kirkwood, Mo., assignor to The Absorbent Cotton Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Mar. t6, 1960, Ser. No. 15,463 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) The present invention relates generally to closure and carrier means and is more specifically related to means for packaging and merchandising goods in bags.

Many devices have been proposed for packaging and merchandising bagged goods including many bag closure devices, and many devices for supporting and carrying bags. For the most part, however, the known devices have been relatively complicated and expensive to make and use, have required special fastener devices and special machine operations, and furthermore, have not been reusable in the sense that once the bag is opened it cannot be safely closed or restored to its original unopened condition. For these and other reasons the known devices have not been entirely satisfactory.

The foregoing and other disadvantages of the known devices are overcome by the present invention which comprises a bag having a body with sealed edges, a closure for the bag formed by a folded down ap portion of one or more of the bag walls adjacent to the open side edge thereof, said tiap portion having opposed end edges attached to the sealed side edges of the bag body, and a carrier device including a foldable member having one portion which is adapted to be positioned between the folded down ap portion and the bag body, and another portion foldable against said one portion about the folded down flap portion, said other portion having means thereon cooperating with said one portion to maintain said carrier device in folded condition and to support the ybag.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improved means for packaging and merchandlsmg bagged goods.

Another object is to provide inexpensive means for closing and carrying a bag. I

Another object is to simplify the constructlon of bag merchandising means.

Another object is to provide a resuable bag closure and carrier device.

Another object is to provide improved closure means for a bag.

Another object is to reduce waste and pilferage of bagged goods.

Still another object is to eliminate al1 need for auxiliary fastener devices such as staples and the like from merchandise display bags.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after considering the following detailed description of several preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is an elevational view of a bag constructed to be used according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on line 2 2 of FIG. l which, when considered with FIG. l, shows the bag to be open;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the bag closed instead of open;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a closure and carrier device for use with the bag of FIGS. l-3, the device being shown in its flat unfolded condition;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the closure and carrier device of FIG. 4, the device being shown folded;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a bag and a carrier and closure device therefor assembled according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of bag in open condition;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the bag o-f FIG. 7, the bag being shown in closed condition;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the modified bag of FIGS. 7 and 8 assembled with a closure and carrier device; and

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 9, the closure and carrier device being shown supporting the bag on a display rod.

Referring to the drawing 'by reference numbers, the number 20 refers to a bag constructed according to the present invention. The bag 2.0 has flexible walls 22 and 24 which are connected together along opposite side edges or seams 26 and 28 and along bottom edge 30. The side and bottom edges also can be provided with gussets such as the gusset 32 (FIG. l) for increased capacity, if desired.

The top of the wall 24 is provided with a closure ap 34 which may be integral, as shown, or applied in any suitable manner. The flap 34 extends the full width of thewbag and has its ends 26a and 28a attached to the associated side edges or side seams 26 and 28 of the bag 20. In FIG. 2 the bag 20 is shown with the closure flap 34 folded down adjacent to the outside surface of the wall 24 thereby providing an open entrance 36 to the bag 20. In FIG. 3 the ap 34 is folded over the entrance 36 to a position adjacent the wall 22 thereby closing the bag 20. Changing from the open to the closed condition is accomplished quickly and easily by inserting the thumbs or index fingers in the space between the ends of the closure flap 34 and the adjacent bag wall and reversing the position thereof by a simple wrist movement.

A closure and carrier member 38 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is installed on the bag 20 when the bag is in the closed condition (FIG. 3). The member 3S is formed of a piece of cardboard or similar bindable material and is constructed having a tuck portion 40 which is approximately as long as the bag is wide and approximately as wide as the closure flap 34. The member 33 also has a body portion 42 which is the same length as the member 40 and which is connected to the tuck portion 40 along a fold line 44. A third portion 46 of the member 38 is attached to the portion 42 on the opposite side thereof from the portion 40 and is in the same plane as the portion 42. The third portion 46 has a hole 4S therethrough and one or more bendable tabs 50 are formed therein adjacent to the junction between the portions 42 and 46. The tabs 50 have free ends formed in the portion 42, and the tabs 50 are formed integral with the portion 46. When the portion 40 is folded to a position adjacent to the portion 42 (FIG. 5) the free edge thereof is positioned under the tabs Sil and adjacent the body 42 and in this way is maintained in folded condition.

In FIG. 6 the closure and carrier member 38 is shown attached to the bag 20, and the bag is shown suspended on a display rod 52. This is done by closing the bag as shown in FIG. 3 and inserting the tuck portion 40 of the member 38 in the space between the closure ap 34 and the wall 22. The portion 42 is then folded against the closure iiap 34 and the tabs 50 moved to positions embracing the free edge of the bag and the associated free edge of the portion 40. The bag is then ready to be displayed and can be suspended on the rod 52 with other similar bags.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown a modified bag 120 which has two, instead of one, closure fiaps 134a and 134]). Both of the flaps 134a and 134k have their opposite end edges attached to the associated side edges or seamed edges 128 of the bag in the manner as described above for the fiap 34. The reference numbers used in connection with the modified bag 120 are the same as are used for the bag 20 except that they are increased by 101i.

The closure fiap 134/1 in the modified bag 120 is formed integral with the bag wall 122 and the closure fiap 134b is formed integral with the bag wall 124. These flaps 13401 and 134]), of course, may be applied to the bag instead of being integral. In FIG. 7 the bag 120` is shown open with both of the closure tiaps 134a and 13411 folded to positions adjacent their associated integral connected bag walls 122 and 124 respectively.

In FIG. 8 the bag 120 is shown closed with the closure flap 134:1 the same as when open and with the fiap 134b folded to a position over the closure fiap 13451. A closure and carrier member 138 is installed on the bag 120 by inserting the portion 140 thereof in the space defined by the bag wall 122 on one side and both of the closure flaps 134a and 134b on the other. The member 138 is then folded and hooked to the bag in the same way described above for the member 38. For illustrative purposes, however, the member 138 is shown having a single bendable tab 150 (FIGS. 9 and l0) instead of two as in the member 38.

Obviously, the modified bag construction 120 could also be closed having the closure tiap 134a folded over the closure flap 134b without changing the invention.

An advantage is obtained using the modified bag 120 instead of the bag 20 in that both wall members of the bag 120 and their associated flaps extend over the portion 140 of the member 138. This means that both walls are supported by the carrier device 138 and this makes it more difiicult to pilfer the bag 120 because both walls thereof are supported and are also embraced by the tabs 150. This is particularly important when the bags are constructed of a flimsy material such as polyethylene plastic or some other similar fiexible material. Furthermore, by using the modified bag 120 the contents of the bag are less likely to accidentally fall out during shipment, storage and display.

Thus it is apparent that there has been shown and described closure and carrier means for bags and the like which fulfill all of the objects and advantages sought therefor, said means comprising a bag member having side walls connected adjacent two opposite side edges thereof and adjacent one end edge, and a closure fiap attached to one of said side Walls adjacent to the other end edge, said closure fiap also being attached adjacent its end edge to the associated side edges of the bag, and a closure and carrier member having a first portion adapted to be inserted in the space between the closure flap and one of the side walls of the bag, and a second portion connected to the first portion and foldable to a position adjacent thereto, said second portion having means thereon adapted to engage the first portion for maintaining said first and second portions in folded together position.

Many changes, modifications and variations of the present device will become apparent and be suggested to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawing. All such changes, modifications and variations which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. Means for merchandising goods in bags having body portions formed by two connected side walls open along one side edge thereof, and having a closure flap attached to one of said side walls adjacent the open side edge, said closure flap being foldable to a position adjacent to the bag body and having opposed end edges connected to edges of the bag adjacent to said one open side edge, the improvement comprising providing a foldable member having a first portion slidable to a position between the closure iiap and the adjacent body side wall, a second portion foldable to a position adjacent to said first portion `on the opposite side of the closure iiap, and means carried by said second portion for engaging said first portion to maintain the folded condition thereof.

2. The means for merchandising goods in bags defined in claim 1 wherein a closure ap is attached to both of said bag side walls adjacent to said open side edge and the first and second portions of the foldable member are positioned on opposite sides of said closure flaps when one of the closure flaps is moved to a position over the open side edge of the bag and over the other closure iiap.

3. The means for merchandising goods in bags defined in claim 1 wherein said means carried by said second portion of the foldable member for engaging said first portion includes a bendable tab.

4. A bag comprising a body having two connected Walls open along one side edge thereof, a fiap formed on an extension of both walls adjacent to said open side edge, said flaps being folded to positions adjacent to their associated integral side wall and attached at the end thereof to the associa-ted side edges of the bag body adjacent said open side edge, both of said flaps being reversely foldable to positions extending over the other fiap and over the open side edge of the bag to close the bag or to positions adjacent lto their associated bag walls to open the bag.

5. The bag defined in claim 4 wherein a closure and carrier device is attached thereto, said device comprising a foldable member having a first panel adapted to be positioned between one of said body walls and the associated flap, and a second panel foldable to a position adjacent to said first panel, one of said panels having means thereon for maintaining the folded condition of the foldable member.

6. Closure and `carrier means for bags having front and rear walls connected along two opposite side edges and an end edge and open along another end edge, a closure flap formed by an extension of one of said walls adjacent said open end edge, said closure fiap having end edges attached to the associated side edges of the bag adjacent said open end, the improvement comprising closure and carrier means for said bags, said means including a member having first and second portions foldable to positions against each other, said first portion bemg of a size and shape to be positioned between the bag closure fiap and the adjacent bag wall, whereupon said second portion is foldable to a position adjacent to said rst portion, said second portion having means formed thereon by engaging said first portion to maintain said first and second portions in folded together condition on the bag.

7. Closure and carrier means for bags having front and rear Walls connected along two opposite side edges and an end edge and open along another end edge, and a closure fiap formed by an extension of one of said walls adjacent the open end edge, said closure flap having a length approximately equal to the distance between the side edges of the bag and end edges attached to the side edges of the bag adjacent to the said open end edge,

the improvement comprising closure and carrier means for such bags including a closure member having a rst portion adapted to just fit into the space between the closure ap and the adjacent bag wall, a second portion foldable to a position adjacent to the opposite side of the closure ap and adjacent to said first portion, and means on one of said por-tions engageable with the other portion and with the bag to hold Ithe closure member on the bag.

8. The closure and carrier means for bags defined in closure member engageable with the other portion includes a resilient bendable tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent claim 7 wherein said means on said one portion of said 10 2,709,467

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hoeppner May 31, 

